Polynesian Astronomy
Throughout human history all cultures including have observed celestial objects in the sky above. Polynesians are included among the people of the Pacific Islands and historic cultures who observed and utilized astronomy.
Included in the practical application of astronomy for the Polynesians was Polynesian navigation or wayfinding.
This is a comparative table to quickly view similarities, differences and cognate relationships between words in Polynesian languages used to identify celestial objects in Polynesian astronomy.
Learn more words with our Sāmoan and Polynesian Dictionary >>
| Title | Sāmoan Word | Hawaiʻian Word | Tahitian Word | Māori Word | Anuta Word | Tongan Word | Category | Constellation | Right Ascension | Declination | Apparent magnitude |
| Aldebaran | Kapuahi | Taʻirioaitu | Star | Taurus | 04h 35m 55.23907s | +16° 30′ 33.4885″ | 0.86 | ||||
| Alpha Andromedae | Manōkalanipō | Star | Andromeda | 00h 08m 23.25988s | '+29° 05′ 25.5520″ | ||||||
| Alpha Centauri | Kamailemua | Star System | Centaurus | 14h 39m 35.06311s | –60° 50′ 15.0992″ | ||||||
| Altair | Humu | Te Aamonga | Star | Aquila | 19h 50m 46.99855s | '+08° 52′ 05.9563″ | 0.76 | ||||
| Antares | Lehuakona | Anā mua | Rehua | Na kau | Star | Scorpius | 16h 29m 24.45970s | −26° 25′ 55.2094″ | 0.6–1.6 | ||
| Arcturus | Hōkūleʻa | Anā Tahuʻa Taʻata Metua te tupu mavae | Toki | Star | Bootes | 14h 15m 39.7s | +19° 10′ 56″ | −0.05 | |||
| Aries | Kaʻavei | Constellation | Aries | 03h 29m 42.4003s | 10.3632069° | ||||||
| Auriga | Hōkūlei | Constellation | Auriga | 04h 37m 54.4293s | 56.1648331° | ||||||
| Beta Centauri | Kamailehope | Star System | Centaurus | 14h 03m 49.40535s | –60° 22′ 22.9266″ | ||||||
| Beta Pegasi | Kākuhihewa | Star | Pegasus | 23h 03m 46.45746s | +28° 04′ 58.0336″ | 2.42 | |||||
| Betelguese | Kauluakoko | Star | 05h 55m 10.30536s | +07° 24′ 25.4304″ | +0.50 | ||||||
| Boötes | Hōkūʻiwa | Constellation | 13h 36.1m to 15h 49.3m | +7.36° to +55.1° | |||||||
| Canis Minor | Mū | 07h 06.4m to 08h 11.4m | 13.22° to −0.36° | 0.34 | |||||||
| Canopus | Keali‘iokonaikalewa | Star | Carina | 06h 23m 57.10988s | −52° 41′ 44.3810″ | −0.74 | |||||
| Capella | Star | 05h 16m 41.35871s | +45° 59′ 52.7693″ | 13.7 | |||||||
| Cassiopeia | ‘Iwakeli‘i | Constellation | Cassiopeia | 22h 57m 04.5897s–03h 41m 14.0997s | 77.6923447°–48.6632690° | ||||||
| Castor and Pollux | Nāmāhoe | Star | Gemini | 7h | +20° | ||||||
| Cetus | Koholā | Constellation | 00h 26m 22.2486s–03h 23m 47.1487s | 10.5143948°–−24.8725095° | |||||||
| Comet | Le pusa loa | Small Solar System body | |||||||||
| Corvus | Meʻe | Constellation | Corvus | 12h | −20° | ||||||
| Crux (Southern Cross) | Sumu | Hānaiakamalama | Tau hā | Te Punga | Te raku tapu, Te Kupenga | Toloa | Constellation | Southern Cross | 12.5h | −60° | |
| Deneb | Piraʻetea | Star | Cygnus | 20h 41m 25.9s | +45° 16′ 49″ | 1.25 | |||||
| Fomalhaut | Kūkaniloko | Star | Piscis Austrinus | 22h 57m 39.0465s | −29° 37′ 20.050″ | 1.16 | |||||
| Gamma Crucis | Kaulia | Star | Crux | 12h 31m 09.95961s | −57° 06′ 47.5684″ | +1.64 | |||||
| Gamma Pegasi | Piʻilani | 00h 13m 14.15123s | +15° 11′ 00.9368″ | ||||||||
| Gemini | Nāmāhoe | Constellation | Gemini | 7h | +20° | ||||||
| Jupiter | Tupualegase | Ikaika | Taʻurua nui | Pareārau | Planet | −2.94 to −1.66 | |||||
| Lunar Eclipse | Ua gase toto le māsina | ||||||||||
| Magellan clouds | Ao tea | Pelulehua kea | Maʻafu | Galaxy | |||||||
| Markab | Keawe | ||||||||||
| Mars | Matamemea | Hōkūʻula | Maunu ʻura | Matawhero | Planet | −2.94 to +1.86 | |||||
| Mercury | Taʻero | Takero | |||||||||
| Meteoroid (Shooting Star) | Fetū Afi | Hōkūlele | Meteoroid | ||||||||
| Milkyway | ʻAniva | Hōkū noho aupuni | Vai ora a Tane | Galaxy | |||||||
| Moon | Māsina | Māhina | ʻĀvaʻe | Marama | Māhina | Astronomical Object | −2.5 to −12.9 | ||||
| Neptune | Tangaroa | ||||||||||
| Orion | Kaheiheionākeiki | Te Kakau | Constellation | Orion | 5h | +5° | |||||
| Orion's Belt | Amoga | Maiakū | Taʻurua o Mere ma tū tahi | Tautoru | Ara tolu | ʻAlotolu | Asterism | Orion | 05h 36m 12.8s | −01° 12′ 06.9″ | |
| Pegasus | Kalupeakawelo | Constellation | |||||||||
| Pleiades (Messier 45) | Mataaliʻi (also Mataliʻi, Liʻi) | Makaliʻi | Matariʻi | Matariki | Matariki | Star Cluster | Taurus | 3h 47m 24s | +24° 07′ 00″ | ||
| Polaris | Hōkūpaʻa | Anā niʻa | Star | Ursa Minor | 02h 31m 49.09s | +89° 15′ 50.8″ | 8.7 | ||||
| Procyon | Puana | 07h 39m 18.11950s | +05° 13′ 29.9552″ | ||||||||
| Regulus | ikiiki | Star | Leo | 10h 08m 22.311s | +11° 58′ 01.95″ | 1.40 | |||||
| Rigel | Puanakau | Puanga | Star | Orion | 05h 14m 32.27210s | −08° 12′ 05.8981″ | 6.67 | ||||
| Saturn | Fetū tea | Makulu | Rongo (also Pareārau) | Planet | |||||||
| Scorpius | Toloa | Ka makau nui o Māui | Taro | Constellation | Scorpius | 16.8875h | −30.7367° | ||||
| Sirius | Telegese | ʻAʻā | Te Kokota | Tino a manu | Star System | Canis Major | 06h 45m 08.91728s | −16° 42′ 58.02″ | |||
| Solar Eclipse | Na gase eleele le lā | ||||||||||
| Spica | Hikianalia | Star | Virgo | +0.97 | |||||||
| Star | Fetū | Hōkū | Fetiʻa | Whetū | Fetuʻu | ||||||
| Sun | Lā | Lā | Rā | Rā | Laʻā | Star | |||||
| Uranus | Rakipō | ||||||||||
| Ursa Major | Anava | Nāhiku | Nā Hiku | Constellation | Ursa Major | 10.67h | +55.38° | ||||
| Vega | Keoe | Whanui | Star | Lyra | 18h 36m 56.33635s | +38° 47′ 01.2802″ | +0.026 | ||||
| Venus | Tapuitea | Hōkūloa | Taʻurua | Kōpū | Planet | −4.92 to −2.98 |
Jon Apisa. Mataaliʻi | Mataliʻi | Makaliʻi oil painting. 2024. oil on canvas, 16" x 20" (40.64 cm x 50.8 cm).
Mataaliʻi | Mataliʻi | Makaliʻi oil painting by Jon Apisa
Jon Apisa. Talo oil painting. 2024. oil on canvas, 16" x 20" (40.64 cm x 50.8 cm).
Talo oil painting by Jon Apisa
Jon Apisa. Amoga oil painting. 2024. oil on canvas, 36" x 12" (91.44 cm x 30.48 cm).
Amoga oil painting by Jon Apisa
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This information is also apart of the Pasefika Polynesian dictionary project of Jon Apisa intended as a comparative dictionary to view similarities, differences and cognate relationships of words in multiple Polynesian languages.